Chapter 340: Chapter 55: Hidden Spiritual Root, Zhao Ping’an

Translator: 549690339

“Chen Zhiruo, Golden, Wooden and Water Spiritual Roots, passed.”

At the entrance to the Limitless Immortal Sect on a platform situated atop the Spiritual Mountains, an Elder was presiding over the triennial spiritual root assessment meeting, holding jade slips in his hand.

As long as someone met the qualifications, their name would be recorded, and they could stand on the right side of the queue and receive a set of standard robes for the Limitless Immortal Sect disciples.

Those who came to seek immortality on the mountain included disciples from aristocratic families, noble daughters, and royal nobles. At the entrance to the Limitless Immortal Sect, everyone was treated equally, and anyone with qualifications could enter.

“Root and bone are the first gate on the road to immortality. If your roots and bones are not enough, no matter how much resources are spent on you, it will be useless. The first test is to test your roots and bones. Everyone, come up one by one, and those without confidence should return on their own and not disturb the order,” said the Elder with an indifferent gaze at the new group of people coming up the mountain.

However, no one left.

That’s because everyone had spent a lot of effort to come here, and it was impossible for them to give up because of one sentence.

“Fire and Earth Dual Spiritual Roots, not bad, pass!”

“Hmm? Special spiritual root, thunder spiritual root, very good, very good, you have also passed.”

“Golden, Wooden, Water, and Fire Four Spiritual Roots, your roots are too mixed, please return.”

At the entrance, there would always be those who excitedly entered, and others who sadly turned back in disappointment.

Meanwhile, on top of the gate.

A group of mischievous children lay on a row of smooth stone walls atop a hill, chattering and discussing.

“Qin Chuyang, what spiritual root did you test for back in the day?”

“It seemed to be Wind Spiritual Root.”

“Special spiritual root, not bad at all. I seem to have a single spiritual root, Zhao Ping’an, how about you?”

A braided child around the age of seven or eight asked a honest-looking child whose aura was quite abundant but a bit shorter than the others.

This child was quite handsome, with bright and clear pupils, a well-defined face, and a hint of steadiness between his eyebrows. He didn’t behave like other children, who were lively and active, shaking their heads and wagging their tails all the time.

“I don’t know. I’ve never been tested before,” the little Zhao Ping’an shook his head, indicating that he didn’t know either.

“That’s true, you’re two years younger than us and haven’t reached the age. So why don’t you go and test? This is a great opportunity.”

The braided child thought for a moment and advised aloud.

“Aunt Jiang said that I should not be too high-profile, including the spiritual root test, which must be personally handled by her,” Zhao Ping’an honestly recalled the woman who always liked to be on the swing in his mind.

To be honest, he was really looking forward to it.

He also wanted to know his own qualifications.

But because of her admonition, he was really torn.

“That woman from the Secular Immortal Peak? I heard she has a bad temper, no wonder you have to come out and play with us every day.”

“Just test it, it’s not like you’re going to lose a piece of meat.”

“Okay… ”

After Zhao Ping’an agreed, several children climbed down from the stone wall, sneaky and went around to the back of the queue, trying to slip past unnoticed.

But they were still discovered by the disciples on duty.

“Go away, we’re busy here, go play somewhere else, okay?”

A youth dressed as a disciple from the inner sect saw a group of children surrounding the meeting and drove them away with his words.

He knew these children had grown up inside the Limitless Immortal Sect and had profound backgrounds. They could not be beaten or yelled at, so he could only speak kindly to them.

The Limitless Immortal Sect advocated free love, so many disciples who have fallen in love would become Daoist companions. Inevitably, these companions would have offspring, and their talent and qualifications were usually not low.

Internal consumption had become the best way for them.

Hearing this, the braided child smiled and said,

“Elder Brother Ning, I know about you and Sister Ran’s affair. If Elder Cui knows about your good deeds, this would be a big problem. You don’t want to make Sister Ran angry, do you?”

The tall youth was stunned for a moment, then carefully checked the surroundings with a hushing gesture,

“Don’t talk nonsense!”

“Then let us go.”

The braided child, being held under his arm, didn’t worry but instead showed a smug smile.

The tall youth disciple held his forehead helplessly and said, “I’m afraid of you little ghosts.”

“You can go, but don’t say I let you.”

“Thank you, Elder Brother Ning. Zhao Ping’an, let’s go!”

The braided child happily pulled Zhao Ping’an toward the spiritual root detection meeting.

“Passed, next one.”

Elder Guo let go of the person’s palm in front of him, squinted his eyes and yawned.

He had been in the bone-feeling business for decades, developing experience to the point where he didn’t need the special spiritual root stele to test, as it was simply too slow and it was faster for him to examine the roots and bones himself.

He skillfully grabbed the next person’s hand, intending to take a look at their roots and bones.

Why was this hand so small?

“Hmm?”

Elder Guo raised his eyebrows, uncertainly touching the hand repeatedly.

“It’s actually a Fire attribute single spiritual root, what a good seedling!”

He looked up in surprise, wanting to see who it belonged to.

But he saw a familiar face—a child with braided hair.

“Xu Pianhe, what are you doing here? Didn’t you test last year?” Elder Guo recognized him immediately and said with dissatisfaction.

Xu Pianhe was the son of the Third Elder. His talent was indeed extraordinary, but he was extremely mischievous and often teased other sect disciples.

“I brought someone here,” Xu Pianhe pointed to the person beside him and looked up with a smile.

“Zhao Ping’an, show your hand to the Elder.”Elder Guo then turned his gaze to the child beside him.

His face was childish, but he seemed precocious.

The child reached out his hand, and Elder Guo didn’t refuse. He saw countless root and bones every day, so one more or one less didn’t matter.

But when he touched Zhao Ping’an’s hand, his brows furrowed.

No matter how he looked, he couldn’t see it.

“Strange.”

Even Elder Guo was puzzled. He had never made a mistake in thousands of cases, but this time, he had trouble seeing it.

What was this spiritual root?

Why had he never seen it before?

After thinking for a long time without an answer, the little girl beside him urged, “Can you or can’t you do it, Elder Guo? It’s been so long.”

“Wait for a moment.”

Elder Guo stood up from his seat and brought Zhao Ping’an to a stele at the entrance of the mountain gate.

The talent stele, which had been sealed for hundreds of years, was finally activated.

Zhao Ping’an looked blankly as Elder Guo injected magic power into the stele, then asked him to stand in front of the stele and press his hand on its cold surface.

He felt a strange force exploring his body.

After the time it took for a joss stick to burn.

Suddenly, the stele emitted an unparalleled brilliance.

Elder Guo checked the result, his face covered in cold sweat, and exclaimed:

“It’s… a hidden special spiritual root, Sword Spiritual Root, a sword skill seed that hasn’t appeared in a thousand years, adept at the art of killing!”

“No wonder I couldn’t see it, the last Sword Spiritual Root was Ancestor Yan Zu, who never became famous.”

For a moment, the people around all looked over, their eyes on Zhao Ping’an filled with envy and shock.

“A Sword Spiritual Root appeared in this congress?”

“No way, how is his talent so high? He’s so young, whose child is this?”

Xu Pianhe looked at the commotion in the crowd and grinned, “Not bad, Zhao Ping’an, your aptitude is excellent, you can definitely cultivate to the Metamorphosis Stage or above.”

Zhao Ping’an didn’t show any joy at his companion’s praise.

Instead, he heard a keyword in the surrounding people’s discussions, and his small body stiffened, unable to help but stare for a while.

Yes, he had never seen his father and mother since he was a child.

As they said, whose child was he?

“Zhao Ping’an, come here.”

A cold voice sounded at the entrance of the Limitless Immortal Sect.

A beautiful woman in a white skirt appeared in the sky.

All the guards, including the Elder, saw the white figure and felt a chill in their hearts.

Her reputation resounded through the Spiritual Mountains a hundred years ago.

The Secular Fairy, Jiang Xuan.

Now, Jiang Xuan’s face was cold, and she walked toward Zhao Ping’an as she landed steadily.

Even Elder Guo had to give her some respect, showing a timid smile, trying to find the right words:

“So it’s Jiang Xuan, this child, is he…?”

“I know, you don’t need to worry about it.”

Jiang Xuan replied indifferently.

Elder Guo wanted to ask more questions, including the child’s identity, but he was immediately silenced and had to shut his mouth obediently.

Jiang Xuan’s talent was very high, and she had secluded herself in the Secular Immortal Peak for a hundred years without anyone knowing her current realm.

Zhao Ping’an obediently went to Jiang Xuan’s side, his head hanging down like a child who had done wrong, sobbing:

“Aunt Jiang, I’m sorry.”

Seeing his appearance, the frost on Jiang Xuan’s face melted a little, and she bent down and smiled gently:

“Ping’an, shall we go back? Your little sister is waiting for you to play with her.”

“Okay.”

Jiang Xuan stood up, holding Zhao Ping’an’s hand, glanced lightly at Xu Pianhe, and then scanned the surrounding area:

“Everyone, excuse us.”

Then, she and Zhao Ping’an turned into a stream of light and disappeared on the spot.

After the woman in the white skirt left, people finally dared to discuss the matter openly.

That woman’s aura was just too intimidating, like a lofty existence.

They wondered when they could cultivate to her level.

“Continue the test.”

Elder Guo let out a sigh of relief and announced, “Xu Pianhe, you can go back too. The Secular Fairy is like that, protective, and even if your mother comes, it won’t help.”

Xu Pianhe crossed his chest and snorted, saying indignantly, “What’s so great about that? I, Xu Pianhe, don’t have a special spiritual root, but I can still become immortal!”

In the sky, clouds obscured the view.

Zhao Ping’an looked at the figure in front of him, hesitated for a moment, and couldn’t help but ask, “Aunt Jiang, you once said that my mother and father are the greatest people in the world, but where are they now?”

“Why don’t they come to see us?”

“They have many things to do. After you start cultivating, they will naturally come to see you.”

“Aunt Jiang, you are not angry with me, am I finally able to start cultivation?”

“Mhm, how could I be angry with little Ping’an? From today on, you can formally start cultivating.”